57. THE GOLDEN BIRD AND THE KING
Long, long ago, there lived a magic bird by the name of Sindhuka in a thick forest. It laid golden eggs.
Once a fowler came to the forest. While hunting, he came near the tree in which lived the magic bird. He saw the bird laying golden eggs. He caught the bird in his net and returned home. But he was afraid of keeping the bird in his captivity. He thought that the magic bird would lay him golden eggs. Soon he would be rich. The king might think that he became rich by stealing others’ money. He might send him to jail. So it was better that he himself presented the magic bird to the king.
56. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A SNAKE
Once upon a time, there lived a Brahmin and his wife who had no children. They prayed to God every day in the hope that they would be blessed with a child.
One fine day, the Brahmin’s wife did give birth to a baby, but it was a snake! All the villagers, their friends and relatives advised them to get rid of the baby snake. But the Brahmin’s wife did not care that her baby was a snake. She loved it all the same and refused to get rid of it.
55. THE GIANT AND THE HORSE THIEF
Long ago, there lived a king by the name of Bhadrasen. He had a beautiful daughter, whose name was Ratnavati. Besides these two, there was the third, a giant, living in the nearby forest. The wicked giant had evil designs on princess Ratnavati. The giant loved her and wanted to marry her. But he was unable to lay his hands on the princess because she wore an amulet round her neck, which saved her from all the evils. The giant used to come to the room of the princess and embarrass her in many ways.
Once the giant entered the room of the princess and hid himself behind a long curtain. He heard the princess talking to her friends and saying, “I’m very much pestered by a powerful giant everyday. Can you suggest some way to kill him?”
54. THE GIANT AND THE HELPLESS BRAHMIN
Once a Brahmin was passing through a jungle to reach another town, when a huge and cruel giant hiding somewhere behind the thick bushes, attacked the Brahmin and jumped upon his shoulders. The giant dangled both his legs in front of the Brahmin and sat comfortably on his shoulders.
The Brahmin began trembling with fear, but he was helpless. He didn’t know what to do. The giant said to the Brahmin, “I’m very fond of human flesh. But before killing and eating you I wish to have a joy ride on your shoulders. So take me where I say.”
The Brahmin had no choice, but to obey the giant. So he kept on walking. While walking the Brahmin noticed that the giant’s feet were extraordinarily small and soft. The Brahmin asked the giant, “I’m very surprised to see that you’re so huge, but your feet are so small and delicate. How is it?”
The giant thought, there was no harm in revealing the secret of his feet to Brahmin since very soon the Brahmin is going to be killed and eaten up by him. So he said, “I never walk on ground with my feet wet. Walking or running on wet feet gives me great pain.”
The Brahmin kept the giants words firmly in his mind and kept on walking. After walking quite a distance they reached on the banks of a river. The giant said to the Brahmin, “Let me down here and you yourself stay here, till I come back, after taking my bath.”
The Brahmin became very happy seeing the giant taking a dive in the river. By the time the giant took another dive in the water, the Brahmin took to his heels and ran away to save his life.
The giant saw the Brahmin running away from the river bank, but he could do nothing to stop him. He was wet all over because he was taking his bath. In this situation, with his feet wet the giant was quite helpless to chase the Brahmin. Thus, the Brahmin escaped from the clutches of the giant and saved his life.
❖ It always pays to be alert.
❖ Presense of mind saves life.
